Thieves hunting for scrap metal have been plaguing residents on a Black Country estate earmarked for demolition and redevelopment. Signs have even been installed saying all the copper has already gone.

People on Dudley’s North Priory estate say gangs have been scouring the area in vans late at night despite the signs warning all valuable metal has been removed from the vacant houses.

Chairman of the North Priory Community Association Michelle Hartlebury said: “We’ve been having a lot of trouble recently with people looking for scrap metal driving around the estate. They’ve been driving around at 10pm over the holidays looking for metal, even though the signs tell them all the copper has been removed from the houses.

“The houses are stripped of valuable metals as soon as they become void, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping them. It’s a nightmare. The police know the registration plates of the vans driving around the streets and have given them warning after warning, but that doesn’t seem to be putting them off.”

Dudley Council spokesman Phil Parker said the authority had installed the signs as a proactive measure and not in response to any crime at the site.

Police have warned businesses to be on their guard against metal thefts.

It was agreed last month that Bromford Housing Group will oversee construction of bungalows and two, three and four-bedroomed houses on the North Priory site.